1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to improvements in or relating to air-pressure, or air-powered, weapons, also referred to as spring-air weapons and the like weapons powered by air pressure created by the release of a spring and plunger, with the pressure being developed at the moment of discharge. More particularly, the present invention relates to air-powered weapons, hereinafter also referred to as air weapons, having a barrel member with at least one rearward barrel opening and also having a housing with at least one pressure chamber, and further including a piston movably disposed in the pressure chamber in said housing, with the piston being adapted to be brought, by means of a linkage mechanism operatively connectible to the piston, against the pressure of a spring means, into a position in which it is held under tension, corresponding to the condition in which the weapon is cocked or ready to be fired.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the customary construction of such air weapons, the barrel is a drop barrel and the tensioning or cocking of the piston is achieved by the cocking, or breaking of the breech, movement. The volume of the pressure chamber, for one, is a criterion of the effective efficiency and, as well, for the overall outer dimensioning of such air weapons. The known weapons of this class always exhibit a circular or annular piston surface when viewed in cross section and include a pressure chamber which is adapted accordingly thereto with its cross section. The diameter of the piston determines, to a considerable extent, the width of the housing of the weapon, and the length is a function of the necessary piston stroke for a required volume.
For the introduction of compressed air into the barrel there are provided in the known designs for this purpose one or several connecting bores or passages, which, however, require a relatively large amount of space if they are to be adequately dimensioned.